NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 4/1/06 It has remained cold with moderate winds from the South-East. Despite strong temperature gradients and faceting the snowpack is generally well bonded where it exists on all aspects above 1000 metres. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 5/1/06 Cold temperatures will continue with strong winds from the South-East. The snowpack will remain well bonded and stable where it exists on all aspects above 1000 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Large areas of the plateau covered in hard icy snow. ICING: Climbable ice on Hell's Lum and Lurcher's. COMMENT: Care needed on steep icy slopes with rocky run outs. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 4/1/06 Calm and dry weather prevailed in the area today. Snow found above 850m with main accumulations on North through to East aspects continues to consolidate, leaving a generally well- bonded snowpack. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 5/1/06 Dry conditions with strong South-Easterly winds will affect the area overnight and into Thursday. The colder temperature and freezing level at 450m will re-freeze and stabilise the snowpack. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow remains above 850m with isolated hard, icy patches. ICING: Some ice forming and snow condition should improve. COMMENT: Water courses beginning to freeze, affecting some paths. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 4/1/06 Cold dry and settled conditions have left the snowpack generally well bonded. Above 950 metres accumulations of shallow windslab exist in sheltered summit gullies and on slopes with a North-West to North-Easterly aspect. These accumulations are isolated and are generally avoidable. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 5/1/06 Dry and cold conditions will affect the area. The snowpack will remain well bonded in most areas but strong winds from the South will form pockets of fresh windslab in the most sheltered areas above 950 metres. These accumulations are not expected to be significant and should generally be avoidable. Slopes with a North-West to North-Easterly aspect above 900 metres have the best snow cover. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow above 900 metres. ICING: Freezing level 500 metres. COMMENT: Strong winds easing later on Thursday. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 4/1/06 After a hard overnight frost in the valleys conditions are very icy underfoot at lower altitudes. Above 800 metres the thin snow cover that exists is well bonded and stable with surface hoar present in sheltered locations. Deepest accumulations are to be found on W to N aspects above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 5/1/06 Dry and cold conditions will alter the current situation very little with well bonded and stable snow on all aspects. The general cover will remain thin with some deeper accumulations being found in sheltered locations on mainly W to N aspects above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Very thin with deeper drifts on W to N aspects. ICING: There is ice on the crags but conditions remain lean. COMMENT: Watch out for those icy footpaths! CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 4/1/06 Wednesday was a bright, clear and quite cold day. A temperature inversion persisted beyond mid-day and brought a hard frost to ground below 500 metres with summit temperatures remaining just above freezing. The largest accumulations of snow are now confined to North to South-East facing gully tops and corrie rims above 900 metres and consist of hard or very crusty snow-ice. The surface condition of sun- affected East to South-East facing snow patches softened only a little by mid-afternoon. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 5/1/06 Thursday will be cold and dry with a steadily increasing South to South-East wind. What remains of the snowpack will remain hard and frozen. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Sparse. Isolated snow patches above 850m. ICING: Comparatively lean but enough on carefully selected routes for some sport. COMMENT: Freezing level 600m on Wednesday night, down to 450m on Thursday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------